Gotta Be You
by rebelbambi
Summary: Bambi Aerith was an upcoming fashion model and actress working really hard to find her place in the industry. This is until she was advised to meet and befriend the One Direction boys and fell hopeless in love with Harry Styles.
1. Chapter 1

**GOTTA BE YOU**

Summary: Bambi Aerith was an upcoming fashion model and actress working really hard to find her place in the industry. She had successfully hidden her small town heritage, dyed her plain brown hair platinum blonde, lost enough weight to hit the runways and learnt the ropes of the fashion industry. However, one day her manager told her that it wasn't enough that she needed more leverage to get better roles, more magazine spreads and media attention so she started to date famous celebrities, no matter how much she felt like it went against her morales. This is until she was advised to meet and befriend the One Direction boys and fell hopeless in love with Harry Styles, the boy who was able to take off her carefully applied mask.

** CHAPTER ONE**

Two years ago, Bambi Aerith was nobody but a small town pageant girl.

Two years later Bambi Aerith is the biggest supermodel and the most in demand actress in all of the western entertainment industry. She graced the covers of Vogue, Bazaar, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair multiple times and she was frequently seen in gossip magazines on the arm of nobody but the latest, and most attractive, male celebrity to hit the scene.

"Listen," she pursed her lips and removed her Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses, "I have only just broken up with Joe last week, don't you think it might be a little too soon to move on?"

Her manager scanned the office to ensure that the doors were closed. The dark secrets of show business had to remain that way. "Not at all. Remember your story? You and Joe had your conflicts and _he_ did you wrong with a mysterious woman you want to know nothing about. This is the perfect time for you to meet the boys."

Her ice blue eyes peeking up from dark lashes, Bambi had a truly beautiful face. It was heart shaped with perfect porcelain skin, big expressive blue eyes, full pink lips and platinum blonde hair was hung just to her waist. Her figure was tall and waif-like without appearing unhealthy, with a perfectly toned stomach and legs. "But, One Direction, really? You don't think they're a little… _fresh_, do you?"

Her manager, a fiery red head named Angela, tutted and shook her head, "Honey, you've been in this business for a while and you know that fresh is always the best. It means they're at the peak of their fame and they're the hottest on the market."

"I'm really not sure about this."

An envelope was handed to her, "Look, VIP tickets to their concert tonight and an invite to the after party. Trust me, Bambi. I didn't teach you how to become a star just to show you wrong."

* * *

><p>The stage was buzzing at night, but she could barely focus. She hadn't heard much from the boys, just a few songs here and there because of how busy her work schedule usually was. She sat in the seats in the VIP section, segregated from the other people who were crowded around a small stage. The support act had just played and they were decent, although she wished they would play something a little more emotional. It felt like years since she had seen a good performance and even longer since she had last listened to her favorite bands. Since leaving her home town, all of her rock records and old pop vinyls had to be left behind as it simply did not do in this industry to allow even a small uncool aspect of yourself to surface.<p>

The crowd roared and the lights blacked out. A hologram shot against the heavy curtains, "_One Direction_" it read. The show was starting and she had no idea what to expect.

* * *

><p>Bambi pulled at her short green dress. Her Manolo Blahniks were making her feet burn but she was used to it. She pulled through the pain and walked gracefully down the backstage corridors, not forgetting to flash friendly smiles to anybody that she saw. She reached a plain blue door with a sign on it, obviously their dressing room. There seemed to be quite a bit of noise coming from inside and she could do nothing but roll her eyes, this was why she thought they were fresh. They were uncomposed. She sighed, pasted on a smile and knocked.<p>

"Vas Happenin!" called a male voice as the door was opened. His smile was bright and his face flushed from the excitement of the performance. His dark pair of perfectly styled and his looks appeared slightly foreign and reminded her so much of dear Joe. "Hey! You're Bambi. They told us that you were going to pop by."

"That's me," she smiled, "Great show."

"Thanks!" he put on a mock serious face, "Now, I don't do this often but because you're pretty, come right in and make yourself at home."

The dressing room wasn't massive and definitely not what she was used to from her ex-boyfriend's rooms, but it was cosy and showed how intimate the band really was. There were a bunch of seats arranged in front of the typically lit mirrors, a bathroom, a red couch and a table with an array of food laid out. Unsurprisingly, most of it was candy that she hadn't tasted in two years, but she chose to ignore it for the sake of her calorie intake. "Hi everybody," she said, "I'm Bambi. That was such a brilliant show, great opening number."

Bambi was serious too, for at the many gigs she had been to there weren't any in which she could genuinely say she enjoyed. The opening number, an upbeat song called "_What makes you beautiful_" was very vibrant and cheerful, she liked it.

Whilst most of the boys were left speechless and star struck due to there being a supermodel standing in their dressing room, the boy who opened the door cleared his throat. "I'm Zayn," he winked, "and I'm the attractive one."

Bambi laughed.

One by one the boys introduced themselves.

"I'm Liam," said a boyishly attractive member.

"Louis here," the boy gave a cheeky half smile, "but you can call me whatever you like."

"I'm Niall!" grinned a blonde boy, his smile ridiculously infectious, "Nice to meet you."

The last to introduce himself was the youngest member of the group: a curly haired boy with stunning eyes and a gorgeous smile, "I'm Harry."

Almost forgetting the other boys, Bambi felt herself reaching out a hand to shake him, "Hi Harry," she breathed, absolutely taken with the way their eyes had met, "I'm Bambs."

"Bambs, aye?" laughed Louis, snapping her out of her thoughts, "I like that so much better than having you call you Bambi."

"No, I mean, umm.." she stuttered, "Bambi. People haven't called me Bambs in a long time. Sorry."

Niall pulled her down to sit next to him, "Do you want a drink?" he asked in a friendly, but not flirtatious, manner, "They've given us a lot of soda and tea too."

"Oh," she smiled, she was actually starting to enjoy meeting these boys, although they were a little odd, "A tea would be lovely."

"I'll make it," he smiled, getting up.

For a while all conversation turned towards the performance and the positive messages they had received on twitter, so Bambi allowed herself to zone out for a bit. Since her two years in the industry, she had met her fair share of very attractive men – she had dated actors, musicians, billionaires and genius directors too, all of which had been very much in demand, wealthy and mature but what had happened when she had seen Harry.

He was young, at least two years younger than her nineteen years. She knew that Angela had expected that she would choose Zayn out of the group to pursue due to his similarity to Joe and the inarguable fact that he was simply her usual type, but she couldn't help but feel like she wanted to talk to Harry. She didn't want to use or hurt him like the others because he just looked so innocent and genuine, although it is hard to determine in the entertainment industry, but she didn't want to not give him a chance either.

"Hey," a voice broke her out of her thoughts. Harry had taken Niall's seat next to her and was smiling, "This talk gets a little boring when it's not your schedule, doesn't it?"

"Just a tiny bit," she admitted, "although I'm barely able to keep track of my own appointments, I'm so hopeless." She mentally hit herself. That was silly. She never showed any loss of control in public and definitely should not have mentioned it then.

"Really?" he smiled cheekily, "So it sounds like all work and no play for you."

"It depends," she knew when to turn on the flirt, so she did, "I've been invited to the after party tonight and I _would_ go were it not for the lack of a date."

Harry's smile widened just a bit, "Well, if you don't mind, I would happily be your date."

"I guess it's not all work and no play then."


	2. Chapter 2

**GOTTA BE YOU**

Summary: Bambi Aerith was an upcoming fashion model and actress working really hard to find her place in the industry. This is until she was advised to meet and befriend the One Direction boys and fell hopeless in love with Harry Styles, the boy who was able to take off her carefully applied mask.

** CHAPTER TWO**

By Harry's side, Bambi stepped out of the limo, knowing that there would be a horde of paparazzi at the front entrance, even if it was supposed to be a private party. Her new dress, a black laced Alexander McQueen number with towering indie designer boots, fitted her perfectly and accentuated her tiny waist. Her hair fell in loose curls and her make up was perfect. Everything was perfect and everything was in control. Harry wore a white shirt and black vest, his smile brighter than ever now that the most beautiful girl in the world was by his side.

The cameras flashed and voices screamed: Why was Bambi there? Was she dating Harry? How did they meet? How did Joe feel about this? However, everybody knows that when you want to give the media more to talk about, you don't tell them anything at all. She made sure that they caught a few nice photos of Harry with his arm around her waist before entering the private nightclub.

She looked around at her surroundings, the pulsing lights and the dark corners, smoky rooms and the attractive bodies dancing on the floor.

"Hey, Bambi!" a voice called. She turned around and saw Zayn, his hair perfectly styled and his crisp black shirt fitting his athletic body perfectly.

She smiled, "Nice turn out here, the DJ sounds great."

"Thanks, us boys don't deserve any credit though, management did it all. You wanna dance?" he asked, as though forgetting that she was, in fact, Harry's date. She considered it, knowing that it would be the more sociable choice but, thinking about the sweet boy standing beside her feeling awkward as his band mate attempted to pry away his date, she knew it went against every morale she had ever had.

"No thanks, Zayn. I think we'll go and get a drink," she smiled nicely before taking Harry's arm and letting him steer her to the bar.

They sat at the bar, probably the only people not already wasted. "Thanks, Bambs," Harry said smiling, "Zayn loves being a prick now and then."

"I can see that," she acknowledged.

"He means no harm though; it's just a bit of a joke. If you had said yes he would've just taken the mickey out of me."

"You know," she realized, looking at him in the eye, "For celebrities, you boys are the most… normal I've ever met. If it were anybody else, they would fly into a rage with embarrassment, but you guys actually take something like that for fun?"

Harry laughed, "Well, yeah, it can be embarrassing but the lads are just dicking around. I do it to them too. How else are you going to bond as five complete strangers?"

"True, you do have an odd beginning story for a band."

"Exactly," he smiled.

The bartender, an attractive and tattooed male, approached them, "What can I get you guys?" he asked. As with other celebrity parties, the waiters and bartenders were usually struggling musicians or actors hoping to meet their big break that night, so they treated everybody particularly well.

"Just a beer, thanks; I don't have much class. You, Bambi?"

"Vodka raspberry, please. A bit heavier on the vodka than usual, if you don't mind," she replied. As the bartender walked away, she turned to Harry, "Can you even drink?"

"Here I can," he laughed.

Drink after drink followed as they continued to talk and laugh, forgetting about the people around them and becoming tipsier by the second. The lights began to pulsate faster than it did before and Bambi felt herself become a lot less controlled and more natural.

"So what did you do before modeling?" Harry asked.

"I was a high school student," she laughed, "Seriously, I have never ever done anything aside from this my entire life. I never had a part time job or sold ice cream, or even had a lemonade stand!" Her voice seemed louder than it usually was, although she barely cared.

Harry laughed too, "So you're like one of those experienced girls right? Do your first shoot at fourteen and made your runway debut at sixteen or something?" his eyes closed a little longer than a normal blink.

Bambi smiled and thought about her childhood; the rush between classes and auditions, the in between lunch jogs, the constant dieting and the shopping for 'audition clothes'. To any other person, it would seem stressful, but it made her feel safe. "Twelve," she said.

He tilted his head, "What?"

"I did my first photo shoot at twelve."

"Hey, lovers!" called a voice. They turned to see Louis and Niall standing behind them, "You guys going to stay here and drink yourself silly, or actually come join us on the dance floor?"

"Yeah!" said Niall, "It's so much more fun there and, if you make it to the other side, there's food too!"

Harry shook his head, "I'm a little tipsy to be honest, I reckon if I got up right now I'd be a bit of an arse."

"I'm not!" stated Bambi, although she knew that she was definitely not sober, "I'll totally dance with you fine young gentlemen." She stood up, but felt her feet become unsteady.

"Whoa, Bambi," said Louis, balancing her, "Are you sure you're okay? How many have you had to drink?"

"Just one or two."

"About seven, I think," corrected Harry who, having had three beers in that time, was probably a lot more sober than he thought he was.

"You're such a silly liar!" Bambi exclaimed, attempting to friendly punch Harry but completely missing him. Instead she fell forwards and into his arms, as he so luckily stood up in time. Her face was buried into his shirt and she had completely blacked out.

Harry lifted her up, "Okay, tipsy time is over for me. I'll take her back to ours."

* * *

><p>Bambi woke up with a headache. She rubbed her eyes and looked around at her completely foreign surroundings. She was in a plain bed with a thick heavy blanket. The walls were painted cream and there were dark wooden floor boards. She looked down at her clothes, all completely intact with a purple Jack Willis hoodie on top – definitely not a well matched outfit. She tried to remember the night before and got a few spots as she scolded herself for drinking so much when she knew she was bad with alcohol now. Remembering what last happened, talking to the boys from One Direction, she realized that she was probably in the guest room of their home base.<p>

Standing up, she looked in the full length mirror. Her eye make up was smeared and her hair a complete mess, along with the fact that her clothes just looked awkward. Standing closer, she rubbed the bottom of her eye until her make up looked presentable, brushed her fingers through her hair and reached under the hoodie to remove her dress. Although common sense told her that she probably should have taken off the hoodie and just wore the McQueen dress, she felt like it just didn't work in the morning. Plus, Joe had always told her that she looked sexy in his jumpers.

Satisfied with her appearance, she opened the door and walked down the corridor. She found the boys sitting around a kitchen bench, Niall eating cereal whilst the others drank coffee. Harry stood at the stove, frying pieces of bacon and eggs. Most of them wore only their track pants, except for Liam and Zayn, who also wore a shirt. "Good morning," she greeted, unsure about what to say.

"Hey, you're awake," said Harry, immediately dropping the pan, "How's your head? Need a bit of breakfast to make it better?" His eyes trailed up and down her body, admiring her long legs in his hoodie.

"Just a small headache, thanks, and I'll be fine," she replied and smiled, seeing Niall dash behind the boys to make sure the bacon didn't burn. Heaven forbid good bacon should _ever_ burn.

"You were pretty drunk in the limo," joked Louis, "You kept trying to kiss me and Liam and we were just like, No Bambi! We can't take advantage of you like this, it's just wrong!"

Niall smiled cheekily, "They did it anyway."

Harry and Bambi laughed. "They didn't," he said, "I made sure of it. We didn't know where you lived though so we just brought you back here, I hope you don't mind. You also seemed cold so I just threw a jumper on you."

"It's okay, I like it anyway," Bambi twirled laughingly; "I think it looks better on me than you. I should keep it."

"Is it so you can smell me and my manliness whenever you want?" Harry winked.

"Of course not. Only because I think Jack Willis needs a better model," Bambi pulled out her phone, "And I am obviously a good candidate."

Zayn laughed, "You're funny, Bambi."

"Yeah, you are," said Liam, "Who you calling anyway? Stay for lunch, come on."

"I really can't," she apologized after she sent a text message to her driver, "I have a photo shoot on later in the day and it's already…" she glanced at the time, "twelve! Shit, how did I sleep the entire morning away?"

She was obviously panicked so Harry gave her a hug, "It'll be fine, Bambs. When's the photo shoot?"

"Four pm."

"You'll be fine," he said reassuringly, "You still have another four hours and you don't look _that_ hung over," he joked.

Bambi pushed him away and headed towards the guest room she was sleeping in, "I'll go get my stuff." She tried to act as though she was fine, but it was obvious that there was more on her mind that gathering up her McQueen masterpiece and the upcoming designer's boots. Going into the room, she suddenly felt as though the walls were a lot closer and she felt suffocated almost. She sat on the bed, willing herself to not cry and make herself look even worse. She covered her face with her hands as a choking sound came from her.

"You okay?" he asked. Bambi looked up to see Harry's face poking through the doorway, his expression of concern becoming more evident when he saw that she had been crying, "What's wrong?" He came to sit beside her and put his arm around her small shoulders, pulling her closer.

"Nothing, I'm fine," she replied, pulling away and wiping the tears from her eyes, ""I just… accidentally poked myself in the eye." It was the lamest excuse she had ever came up with, but it wasn't every day when people were actually concerned about her emotions instead of whether she had her make up kit in her bag to fix up her mess of a face.

"You're a little liar," Harry said, smiling slightly, "Tell me."

"No," replied Bambi with a hint of humor in her voice. She didn't like the seriousness of the situation, it came far too close to her insecurities and she had lost enough control already, she wasn't about to lose any more.

"Bambi," Harry grabbed her shoulders and looked her right in the eye, "Tell me what's wrong. You can trust me."

She hesitated, taking deep breaths, but looking into the most concerned and sincere eyes she had ever seen in her entire life (well, almost, she had her parents to account for as well) she couldn't stop herself as the words came out of her mouth, "I'm scared, Harry."

"Of what?"

"I'm a model and there are a million girls out there who look up to me, how I look is extremely important and I can't just go to a photo shoot with a hang over, bad skin and…" she mumbled.

"Bambi, and what?" Harry asked.

"Fat," she whispered, pulling Harry's hoodie closer around her so he couldn't see the atrocity that was her current body.

Harry was taken aback, "Fat? Bambi, you look great and, if anything, you're a lot thinner than girls usually are."

"I got drunk last night, Harry, and not to sound like an obsessive idiot, but do you know how many calories every drink contained? I can't even remember how many I had-"

"Seven"

She looked at him sarcastically, "Thanks Harry, really, you're helping so much."

He laughed, pulling her back into a hug and holding onto her really tightly so that she was unable to let go, "Bambi, you look great, there is nothing to be scared about. You're one of the most beautiful celebrities in the world, the magazine polls have proved it. There is not a single part of you that is inferior or that should be changed in any way."

She stayed silent for a while, feeling comfortable and content for the first time in as long as she could remember, when her phone suddenly vibrated. She picked it up and looked at the screen, "Thanks Harry, but I really have to go." She took a deep breath and picked up her clothes, regaining her composure and feeling in control again, "The car's here."

"I'll walk you to the door," Harry said, smiling.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for everything," Bambi said as they stood in the doorway, "For taking me home last night, I mean."<p>

"You're welcome. Can I see you again sometime soon?"

"You have my number," Bambi smiled, feeling her trained flirt coming back into play, "I'll wait for your call."

"I'll call tonight," Harry said, "Definitely won't forget."

"You better not," Bambi whispered as their faces unconsciously drew closer. Before she knew it, his lips were touching hers and it felt like she was being kissed for the first time.

"You're beautiful," Harry whispered as they pulled apart, not realizing the tiny click of a camera across the road.


	3. Chapter 3

**GOTTA BE YOU**

Summary: Bambi Aerith was an upcoming fashion model and actress working really hard to find her place in the industry. This is until she was advised to meet and befriend the One Direction boys and fell hopeless in love with Harry Styles, the boy who was able to take off her carefully applied mask.

** CHAPTER THREE**

She had exactly three hours and fifteen minutes left to shower, get ready and be at the photo shoot. Thankfully, the industry rule was that a model should never arrive to a photo shoot or filming with her hair or make up done. Bambi stepped into her shower, the hot water running other her body, and watched the glass steam up.

She had a nice house, she couldn't deny. It was bought for her by her first 'big name' boyfriend who was actually born into wealth and, it appeared, liked to shower his girlfriends with an endless supply of things. If anything, he probably never loved her any more than she loved him, but he knew he would look a lot better on the red carpet with a trophy girl on his arm. However amongst the designer clothes, jewelry, sports cars or even the star he had named after her, there was nothing more extravagant than the huge, split story house he had bought for her. The interior was incredibly modern, with only the latest in Japanese electronics. On her walls were framed fashion portraits from Vogue and her vast yard extended to a paddock and a barn for her two beautiful mares, Hope and Faith.

However, it felt like she was never at home in the richness of the place, it had always felt cold to her compared to the supermarket table cloths and old couches of her family home. Her only comfort were the family albums and private photos that she kept by her bed side and the little drawing that her baby sister gave her two Christmases ago.

When she stepped out of the shower, she examined herself in the mirror – her breasts sat perkily, and her waist was still small as ever. Her hip bones stuck out clearly and her thigh gap was still very much evident. Bambi thought about the seven vodka raspberries she was reportedly downed (or had she ended up ordering a different drink? Baileys and milk perhaps?) and felt like her stomach was suddenly hanging a lot more, her arms looked a bit flabbier and one side of her face seemed puffier than the other. She stepped on the digital scale, closing her eyes as though she was terrified of the number.

99lbs.

Perfect, she was still perfect.

Bambi smiled as she got dressed, putting on a pair of dark skinny jeans and a white singlet, then pulled a can of Diet Coke from her fridge. Her phone vibrated once again and she peered at the screen. Off to work she went.

* * *

><p><em><span>Hey Bambs. That kiss was amazing, I miss you already. Can I see you again tonight?<span>_

_Bambs you little kid. Doin anything tonight?_

_R U busy 2Nite?_

_Bambi, I don't know how to text you after that kiss.. I –_

Harry groaned as he erased the text message for the fourth time. He just didn't know what to say to her. It felt odd because his whole life he had always been the sweet talker, the flirt, the one to make the first move. Talking to girls had always come easily for him, but for some reason a simple thing like asking her to come watch a movie with him and the lads was just so darned difficult.

"Did you send it yet?" asked Louis, jumping over the couch to sit beside him, "Is she coming? Did she reply yet?" He peeked over to the blank text message and sighed.

Harry hit him across the head, "Don't you sigh at me, Louis. I just haven't figured out how to ask her yet."

"Why don't you just say, 'Hi Bambi, want to come over tomorrow?'" asked Zayn, rolling his eyes.

"That's too casual for Harry," said Liam, "You know he likes to be a toothache sometimes."

"I have an idea!" cried Niall, snatching Harry's phone off him. He quickly typed a few letters, jumping up on the couch to avoid Harry attacking him, "Just. Let. Me. Type."

Harry pulled it off him before he sent the text.

RU3429?

"What does that mean?" asked Liam, confused, as he peeked over Harry's shoulder.

"RU3429 means 'Are You Free For Tonight'" stated Niall, smiled proudly.

Harry jokingly threw a pillow at him as he left for his room, protecting his phone, "Does she _look_ like a booty call to you? You idiot. I'm going to text her in private."

_Hey Bambs,_

He started typing, sitting on his bed with its dark blue sheets, the light leaking through heavy curtains. Harry paused, unsure of what to ask next. Should he mention the kiss? Should he tell her that he hadn't stopped thinking about her since she left? Or maybe he should start with how gorgeous she looked wrapped up in his jumper, and how much it made him want to-

No, maybe not that.

_Hey Bambs, how's the photoshoot going? The lads are pretty keen to have you back over for movies tomorrow night. Not me though, I figured you would just come and steal another hoodie, but what makes them happy. LOL I'm joking. Anyway, are you free? Harry x._

He read it repeatedly a few times before hitting the send button, content that it was not too casual or flirty enough to make their unexpected kiss this morning awkward.

* * *

><p>Whoever had told her that becoming a supermodel would make her the luckiest girl alive had definitely never been a model, she thought as she sat in the makeup chair. The artists flittered around her, painting her face until she could barely recognize herself and teasing her hair while she prayed that they would give up and choose to use a wig instead. There were whispers around her that she should have ignored but that she found impossible to: the hair stylists were complaining about the texture of her hair, her skin was just not bright enough and her pores bigger than they remembered. She also had that dreaded scar.<p>

It was weird, sitting in a chair forced to trust people with your appearance when all they could talk about were the problems they were having with it.

"Is she ready?" called the photographer's PA from the doorway of the trailer, "Patrick needs to get it started now or he isn't going to make his next appointment."

Yep, that was right. Patrick Demarchelier was the photographer today, one of the most renowned and in demand photographers in the world was shooting her for _British Vogue_ and she was sitting here in the old trailer trying to ignore her hang over. Definitely not what she had expected.

"She's done," said the make up artist, "Where's Shirley from wardrobe? She hasn't been dressed yet."

"Right here!" called another woman and she stumbled through the doorway with a red Dior skirt, "Come on, Bambi."

Bambi opened her eyes and looked at herself, heavy but flawless make up with dark eyes and matte red lips, she felt beautiful. It was as though a mask had been placed over her tired, boring face and she was transformed into someone glamorous and almost otherworldly.

As she was being zipped into the skirt, her phone vibrated again. As she read Harry's message, she smiled. He was sweet and it was obvious that he was trying to hide the fact that he liked her. She thought back to the kiss that day, his warm lips on hers, and felt her heart beat suddenly faster. She must have blushed because one of the artists came up to apply more powder on her cheeks, thinking that it had rubbed off somehow.

_Hi Harry, it's going fine, still in make up. I'm shooting for the cover of Vogue, you jealous? ;) Movies sound good, I'll message when we finish up here. PS Your jacket likes me more than you._

A leather bra was strapped around her body as she stepped into a pair of sky high Jeffrey Campbells. Bambi took a deep breath before putting a smile on her face, ignoring the pain in her head and stepping outside.

Patrick was a very genuine man who cared not about your fame or if you were an heiress, but focused solely on making you and the clothes look absolutely remarkable. He had a strong sense of determination in him and a look of seriousness on his face while he worked, but off set he was the most charming French man she had ever the privilege of meeting. It was people like him that made her difficult career worthwhile.

"How are you today, Bambi?" he asked, smiling as his assistants guided her in front of the reflected lights and sat her on a white garden chair in the middle of a forest, "You are stunning as always, it appears."

"Thank you, Patrick," she had worked with him just once in her modeling career when she did a Venetian themed group photo shoot two years ago, but he had good memory, "And you are still a charmer, it appears."

He asked her to smile, laugh, brood, cry, jump and sit that day. There was a certain magic in a fashion shoot that was impossible to explain. Whilst her shoes ached her feet and the skirt dug into her waist, she knew that the camera had captured her at the most beautiful moments and frozen a millisecond for all eternity. She felt like the artificial lighting was pointless as it was on a very low setting and simply there to even out the tone. The real beauty came in the flush of green through the leaves as the sunlight seeped through. There was a bit of dew still left over in this deserted area and she felt like a snow white running through the wilderness.

Albeit a little bit colder.

Bambi wished she still had Harry's hoodie on her.

* * *

><p>She sat in the car that night, her face wiped completely clean of make up and her hair almost back to normal. The shoot was done for the night and her only plan was to cook herself a small dinner and rest her aching toes. Thinking back on the day, she thought about Harry. His smile in the morning was still in her mind, she was still longing for his almost slender body against hers and, of all things, she just could not forget about his lips. For a second, it made her forget that she wasn't allowed to actually fall in love with him.<p>

She had to stick to Angela's plan, as usual. One Direction was hot property at the moment and many girls were vying to be seen on their arms – Harry had the exact amount of fame and a clean enough reputation to get her to the front of as many publications as possible. It was after that that she could finally prove her work doing things that she actually loved, singing and acting. She had not always wanted to be a model, but it was an easier road than going onto a talent show and getting five seconds of fame (ironic, since it was Harry she was thinking about and his fame was definitely long lasting).

Reaching for her pink classic Chanel handbag, she pulled out her phone.

_Heading home now, how's your day?_

She texted him before putting the phone down into her lap and leaning back into the leather seats, closing her eyes for just a second.

"Long day, Miss Aerith?" asked her driver, Samuel, "Would you like me to stop off anywhere for dinner or refreshments?"

She considered it before answering, "Could you stop off at the Starbucks near my house, Sam? It should still be open, I think."

"Of course."

_It's been good, me and the lads are working on a new song. Good shoot?_

She thought about their new song, wondering whether it would be something up beat and cheerful, or something a bit more romantic. In her head, she imagined Harry singing to her and her heart warmed up. She really did miss him.

_Of course (:_ _tired but, so stopping off for coffee. Can't wait to hear it._

"We're here, Miss Aerith," answered Samuel as he pulled up at the shop, "Would you like me to go in and get it for you?"

"No thanks, I'll go myself."

Bambi went in and bought two coffees, one for her and one for her driver. She had always treated her staff well. She considered buying more and heading back to Harry's house, knowing that he would not say no to her staying the night, but thought that she might be coming on a lot stronger than she should.

Usually she would only see a guy once every week, maybe twice, but for some reason it had been one day and she was wishing she could be in his arms again. She shook her head, certain that she was losing her mind.

Why would she fall in love with someone? Harry Styles, in fact. The guy who Angela had pretty much forced her to meet and then assigned her to date? She had told herself years ago that she would only ever appear interested and never give her heart to someone who was probably using her for fame as much as she was. She lived in a tough world after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**GOTTA BE YOU**

Summary: Bambi Aerith was an upcoming fashion model and actress working really hard to find her place in the industry. This is until she was advised to meet and befriend the One Direction boys and fell hopeless in love with Harry Styles, the boy who was able to take off her carefully applied mask.

** CHAPTER FOUR**

She awoke that morning to the ridiculous, but consistent, vibrating of her phone on her bedside table. Her hair in her face and her eyes barely focused, she reached for it and saw twenty missed called and eight text messages from Angela. She rubbed her eyes and squinted as she tried to make out the words.

_Bambi you're on the cover of Star Weekly_

_ Freaking Perez Hilton is blogging about you and Harry_

_ It's all over Superscape and THG as well!_

_ Are you even awake? Reply right now, the phones are off the hook._

_ People think it's a bit fast, so what did you wanna tell them?_

_ Bambi did you stay the night at Harry's? This isn't for real, right?_

_ Where are you?_

_ WAKE UP!_

She called Angela immediately, "Hey Ange, I just woke up. What happened?"

"There's a photo of you and Harry," she replied, half excited and half exhausted from the busy morning, "Kissing on his front porch too! And you're wearing his sweater and holding last night's shoes in your hand."

"Fuck," she swore, even though she really didn't do it much anymore because it made her feel less than classy, "They got that on camera?"

"Oh yes they did! And as juicy as it is, Bambi, it's a really strong kick in the face. They saw you guys for the first time on the red carpet one night and then this the morning after?" there was a slight pause, "All publicity is good publicity, but this time I'm not so sure."

"Look, it's fine. Like you said, the boys are hot property right now and they're fresh, so at least I got in at the peak of their fame right?" she felt odd talking about them, especially Harry, like they were a product instead of human beings but it was just the way she communicated with her manager, "I'm going over to theirs again today so we'll work out some kind of damage control or something funny to fix it up a bit."

"Okay, I'm trusting you on this one, Bambi," she was about to hung up when she added, "Oh yes, your aunt in Australia has been calling the office non stop. Doesn't seem like she has your new number. I told her you'll be in touch."

"Thanks Angela."

* * *

><p>Four pillows flew at his face at the same time, waking him instantly, "Freaking! What was that for guys?" Harry tried to lie back down, "I'm trying to sleep…"<p>

"Wake up, you lazy ass," said Louis, shoving his Macbook in front of his face, "You and Bambi are freaking everywhere."

He opened his eyes slowly to process the images before him:

**HARRY'S OFF LIMITS, GIRLS!**

** BAMBI'S GOT A NEW MAN**

** FORGET THE JONAS BROTHERS, BAMBI WANTS SOME HARRY STYLES**

And there were images of him and Bambi at the after party from multiple angles but the most important photo was the same throughout, them kissing on the front porch yesterday morning.

"You know, you and her make a really nice couple," said Niall, smiling and giving Harry a hug, "I think everybody else thinks so too."

"We're meant to be filming a video diary today too," added Liam, "Reckon Simon would want us to bring this up or not?"

Louis cracked up, "You know we're gonna do it anyway. Our little Harry is all grown up," he said in a baby voice, ruffling his hair, "Has his own media circus and everything now."

"Oh shut up Lou," Harry said, standing up and heading for the bathroom, "I need a shower…"

"_I'm coming tooooo~!_" squealed Louis as he chased after him.

* * *

><p>Bambi stood outside their door, wondering whether she should have called before coming or if they didn't want to see her at all after what had happened. The truth is that her relationships had never become public outside of her control and definitely not so early, not before it was properly established. If anything, every thought that she had before about there being something real in their relationship was completely eradicated now that the media were in control of everything.<p>

She fixed her attire, a loose pink shirt over a fitted black dress, paired with casual military boots and a silver chain, and took a breath before ringing the bell.

Zayn answered the door with a smile and a "Vas Happenin!" ushering her into the house quickly, before more cameras caught her. "Harry, Bambi's here!" he called into the back room.

Suddenly, a very loud and happy voice screamed out her name, and a person ran blindly down the corridor, almost completely mummified with masking tape. He had running towards her before he slipped, crashing down on the wooden floor boards with a moan.

"What's going on here?" she asked, wide eyed, "and who is this?" she helped the mummy man up to his feet before she recognized the small features that weren't hidden.

"It's me, Bambs!" smiled Louis through the throbbing pain that must've been present in his head, "We're shooting a video diary in the backroom. Wanna join in?"

She was surprised, "Join in? I really don't think that's a good-"

"Hey Bambs," Harry said, standing at the end of the corridor with his dimpled smile.

"Hey…" she greeted, losing her will another time as she looked at him, not exactly dashingly handsome but so boyishly adorable that she wanted to just run into his arms, bury her head into his shirt and just cry about how she really didn't have any control over the current situation and, no matter what she told Angela, she had no idea in hell what to do.

However she didn't like to lose her cool like that in front of anybody, so she smiled, "Hey Harry. Where's your costume?" she looked at Louis in his ridiculous get up.

"Louis is just being an idiot, it's his little in joke of these things," Harry took hold of her hand, "But he's right, you should join us for this video."

"Is it because Simon wants it?"

A short silence fell over the room whilst they listened Louis and Niall laughing in the back room, "Well, yeah…" Zayn trailed off as Harry continued what he wanted to say.

"Simon says that, at the very least, we owe it to our fans to give them some kind of explanation over what happened and this seems to be the most positive way we can do it."

"I understand, but I really don't know how to conduct myself in one of these."

"It's okay!" said Louis with more enthusiasm than was really necessary, "Just do whatever you want and have fun, make them laugh. I woke up this morning wanting to tape myself, so I did. See?"

Harry laughed, "I think she saw Lou. And he's right," he said to Bambi, "Just come in and pretend it's just us. It'll be fun."

* * *

><p>Bambi sat behind their red couch, completely unaware of how she had ended up here, waiting for the boys to creep behind and, probably, do something hilarious but painful to poor Louis who really didn't have any vision at all.<p>

"…and we want to thank everybody who has supported us on this tour," said Louis, "because we had so much fun performing and meeting everybody…"

The boys quietly snuck behind the couch and pulled Bambi to stand, silently signaling for her to join them all on one side while Louis sat blindly in the middle on the seat. She didn't know what they had planned until Harry gave her a knowing look – they were going to surprise him.

"…and we love our fan so **much!**"

On his last word, all four boys and Bambi leapt onto Louis and the entire couch toppled with their combined weight, to a combination of raucous laughter and Louis' squeal. They cut the video as they laughed over the joke and repositioned themselves onto the couch, seating Bambi in the center with Harry's arm around her – red faced and happy from the unexpected stunt they had just pulled. Definitely the most innovation introduction she had yet.

Liam spoke as Louis untapped the rest of his body, "As this silly doofus was saying, we love our fans so much, which is why we want to introduce a friend of ours to you. This is Bambi."

"Harry's new girlfriend!" cried Niall lamely.

Harry whispered, "I think they know…"

Laughing with the ridiculousness of the video, Bambi spoke and tried to make sure she was likeable, "I'm so sorry you guys had to find out about me and Harry like this, but we're all good friends and things have been moving so quickly, I don't think we were prepared for this at all."

"I could be worse," Harry smiled cheekily, "I could've been naked."

Bambi widened her eyes jokingly at the implication, "I have **never** seen him naked, guys. Honest, honest. If I ever get a photo though, I promise I will share it with all of the cool Directioners," she winked at the camera, "Just between you and me."

The video continued and Bambi felt it becoming more natural as she decided that she could really get used to being with the boys, they were fun and they made me laugh and do stupid things that she had refrained from doing. Although she had spent her entire life trying to be perfect, it was as though the hour or so she spend laughing, filming and cutting the video was the most free she had felt since she was a kid.

* * *

><p>That night, after they finished the movie, Harry and Bambi sat in the lounge room in each other's arms, comfortable and smiling.<p>

"So Bambi, I never asked you properly."

"Asked me what?" her perfect eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she had only let them do tonight as she looked up at his perfect face.

"Well, things just happened and it feels like we jumped a step. I wanted to tell you, before all this idiocy happened, that I really like you. I like you so much and I can't think of anything except for you and I really wanted to ask if you wanted to go out with me, just me, as my girlfriend?"

Bambi smiled, snuggling into his chest, "Do I really have a choice anymore?"

"I just want to know whether you would still be my girlfriend if it weren't for everything that happened today," he didn't meet her eyes, as though afraid she would reject him.

She considered it, trying to forget about Angela and the magazines and everything she had been taught the let few years, thinking about whether she really liked him – maybe was in love with him. It scared her, actually having feelings for someone. She knew that if she had ever let anybody open her heart it would mean leaving herself completely vulnerable, but when she looked into his eyes, she knew that she could trust him.

Maybe just this once, she would.

Bambi kissed him, only pulling away to whisper, "I would. I really like you too Harry."


	5. Chapter 5

**GOTTA BE YOU**

Summary: Bambi Aerith was an upcoming fashion model and actress working really hard to find her place in the industry. This is until she was advised to meet and befriend the One Direction boys and fell hopeless in love with Harry Styles, the boy who was able to take off her carefully applied mask.

** CHAPTER FIVE**

"Hey, Bambi," a soft voice spoke to her, gently shaking her out of sleep, "Bambi, it's time to wake up."

She opened her eyes to Harry's sleepy smile and, remembering that she had curled into his bed last night because of the sudden thunder storm, she buried her face deeper into his chest, "But I'm _sleepy_…"

"You silly girl," he kissed her head, "Silly and sleepy."

She rubbed her eyes and looked around, his blue sheet warming their bodies, her in his shirt and him in track pants, "What time is it? And where is everybody?"

"They drove out to buy food and, knowing Niall, they're not going to be back for a while."

Bambi smiled, "Are they buying McDonalds? Because there's one closer than two miles away."

He laughed, "So you do watch our videos…"

"Not at all," she kissed him, "I just thought it was a good song. I think you should release it, would be a chart topper."

"Oh right," he laughed at her sarcasm before pulling her back into his arms, brushing her hair gently with his fingers as she rested her head on his shoulders. He glanced down at her face, completely free from makeup and pretense, "You're an odd girl, you know that?"

"Why so?" she asked, unsure where it come from.

"Well," he held her closer to his body, scared that he might offend her in some way and he really didn't want to let go of her, not when he had only just got her, "The first time I meet you, you're so controlled and everything, then you drink a bit and you just kind of loosen up so much."

Bambi froze, absolutely terrified that he noticed her slip ups, "I'm sorry," she apologized automatically. She was so used to apologizing for any time she showed her true self that she didn't realize Harry, unlike her ex boyfriends and her manager, was not scolding her at all.

"No, no, no," he said, "Don't be sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just mean… when sometimes you seem like you're trying to think through every movement you make and calculating everything, but at other times you seem so vulnerable and.. it's real, you know?"

"But what is real anymore?"

"Well, I'm real, my feelings are real, this room is as real as the box of carrots sitting in Louis room and, if you stop worrying so much, you can be real too."

"I guess I'm just used to worrying," she closed her eyes to listen to his heartbeat, knowing that what she was going to say next might completely ruin their new relationship, "Ever since I first got out of my home town and tried to make it big here, I've had a manager tell me what to do, what to say, who to be with. My entire life's been orchestrated so much that, sometimes, I really am scared that the real me will mean the end of everything as I know it."

Harry considered it before he spoke, "What do you mean by she told you who to be with?"

This time, it was Bambi's turn to hold onto him tighter because she loved him so much, she really did, but she knew what she was about to say might change everything, "Angela tells me who I should date to get more exposure for myself, that's why I have been dating rich directors, actors and singers since I was sixteen. She gave me those backstage tickets because she wanted me to date one of you boys, most likely Zayn, and to be photographed at the after party."

Harry suddenly pulled away and sat up, "You mean all of this is a plan?"

"No, I-"

"You came to the show, got invited to the after party and ended up drunk so we _had_ to take to back to ours and then, what, called a photographer to get photos of you and me at the front door? And then all of us like you _so_ much-"

"Harry, it's not w-"

"-we have you guest star in a video diary for our fans so they can understand me and you. You stay the night in _my_ bed and then decide to tell me that this is all a joke? What am I some kind of wind up toy to you?"

At that exact moment, the rest of the boys came into the room, smiling and carrying bags of fast food. Louis screamed, "We have your breakfa-!" but stopped halfway when he noticed the tension in the room. By then Bambi was anxiously curled up at the foot of the bed and Harry, red faced with anger, stood by the table. "What happened?"

Harry uncharacteristically pushed everybody out of the way as he gathered a pair of jeans, shirt and his sneakers, leaving the room and heading out, "Why don't you ask the actor?"

Everyone stood in awkward silence before Louis ushered them out. The last time Bambi heard, as he closed the door and sat next to her on the bed, was Niall saying that she thought she was a model.

He looked at her for a solid minute, sitting there in Harry's shirt, positively trembling with anxiety that he simply did not understand. Louis remembered the first time she met them, in absolute control of her words and knowing exactly what to say, do or even wear, in order to make herself the most appropriate. He just didn't see any of that in the mess sitting in front of him, something that he knew had only happened within the last ten minutes or so. He inches closer and put his arm around her shoulders. "Bambs, what happened?"

At that moment, she broke down, tears and sobs erupting from her uncontrollably and she fell into Louis chest, enveloped in more sadness and disappointment in herself that she had been allowed to show for a long time, "I messed up, Lou. I messed up so badly."

She explained everything that happened, from how Angela has been advising her all these years, to how she realized that she had only ever felt real with Harry and that she was developing actual strong feelings for him, to what she told Harry that lead to him walking out. "I love him, Louis. He didn't let me tell him that and now," she sniffed, "He's gone."

Louis squeezed her, "You know Harry's just a pain in the buttocks sometimes and he's rash, he will say and do a lot of things without thinking it through. I'll talk to Harry, okay, and I promise that he will understand."

"I just feel so guilty for the first time," she said, wiping the tears from her blotchy, red face, "It's like, the first time I found someone who really liked me for me and I messed it up just by being me."

Louis handed her a tissue, "Bambs, it'll be fine. I'll try and call Harry and tell him what happened, but why don't you just go home for now? Have a nice bath and eat the stuff we bought, promise it's good," he smiled, "Leave this to us, because it's not your fault. Harry's just being a sodding idiot and I won't let me walk away from someone like you. I'll have Zayn drive you home?"

"Thanks Louis."

* * *

><p>Harry didn't know where he was heading but, as he drove down whatever road he could find, all he knew was that he wanted to be away from everything – the photographers, the media, twitter, celebrities, models, Bambi. Anything to be away from that circus show that seemed to be constantly running his life, judging him and burning him whenever he did something 'wrong'. He hated it and, no matter how much he had wanted to be famous, he hadn't thought about the cost that would come with it. He thought he could handle it, but he couldn't.<p>

His phone didn't stop ringing and buzzing but he looked at the caller ID, Louis, and threw it on the backseat. Whether he was calling about Bambi or band business, he didn't want any of it. It might have been two or three hours before he got tired of driving and pulled up next to a wide field of green grass – no animals, but no property or fences either stopping him from driving his car up. He did and jumped into the back seat, resting his feet out of his open window.

It was a good place for thinking and a good place for him to write. He pulled out the little notebook he kept under his seat and found a pen. From there he wrote and wrote, sometimes lyrics, sometimes just his thoughts about Bambi, sometimes he drew. He wasn't a brilliant artist but his pen sketch of Bambi made him feel terrible – because he believed her, he loved her but was scared to use those words, only to find out that she had been lying the whole time. He was colouring in her lips when his phone vibrated again.

Out of frustration, he picked up, "What do you want?"

"Harry!" Liam exclaimed, "About time you picked up, it's been close to four hours. Where the hell are you?"

"I really don't want to deal with this right now."

"Louis needs to talk to you," Liam said, handing the phone over.

"HARRY YOU STUPID NIT!" he screamed in the phone, causing Harry to pull back a bit, "YOU WALKED RIGHT OUT THIS MORNING, DON'T TELL US WHERE YOU'VE GONE? Worse thing is, you did this without even letting her EXPLAIN?"

"What was there left to explain?" Harry didn't like to cry too much, unless it was because of a movie but he had always felt more comfortable around Louis so he sniffed, close to tears, "I feel so used, Lou. She just used me like that."

"She didn't use you, Hazza. She came to that show because she was told you, that's right, but she told me that she chose you because she likes you. Harry you're the first person she's genuinely wanted to be with in a long time and you block head just walked out on her."

"Do you believe her? Doesn't it sound like a lie to you?"

"I believe her. When you have a girl curled in the foot of your best mate's bed shaking out of control because she was having a minor panic attack because your said best mate walked out on her, and then she cries until your shirt is nearly see through, well, it's pretty obvious that she isn't lying. She's not that good an actor, Harry. No one is."

Harry thought about it, imagining her shivering form, her most hated moments of lack of control, and then looked at his drawing – lacking but reminding him of her long curls, her mesmerizing eyes and those lips that he loved so much to kiss. He knew his decision then, "I'm coming back."

"Good," he could almost hear Louis smiling through the phone, "Go to her house, I had Zayn drop her off."

* * *

><p>There was a knock on her door, making her giggle. Everything was making her giggle, from the way she had cut up her forearm to the blood she had smeared over her half naked body and the bottle of Jack Daniels she was sculling. The room was twisting and turning, exactly the way she wanted it. Anything to be away from reality.<p>

Completely aware that she was only wearing her black bra and panties, since she ripped off Harry's old shirt as soon as she got home, and that her cuts were just starting to clot, she opened the door to find Harry, "HAZZAAAAAAAAAAA!" she shouted, oblivious to the terrified look on his face, "What are you doing here?"

He looked at her, blood smeared across her stomach, her forearm cut so much that it was making him a bit woozey, the bottle still in her hand, "Bambi what are you doing? Are you drunk?"

She fell slightly and hit the wall, sliding down with tears in her eyes, a complete contradiction to the ironic happiness in her voice, "Noo! I just had a drink or two, I'll be fine!" Her eyes started to close, "It's so spinny. I like spinny. Do you like spinny, Harry?"

He pulled out his phone, ready to call an ambulance before she pulled onto his arm, "Bambi, you need help. You're bleeding."

In a sudden sober moment, she spoke, "If I were dying from blood loss, I would be dead already," her eyes closed, "First Aid Kit. Bathroom. Don't call anyone, please."

_Please._

* * *

><p><em><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE: <strong>While Harry indeed doesn't call an ambulance for the sake of Bambi's reputation, please know that in a real life situation, calling training medical help immediately will be absolutely necessary because the risk of blood loss, alcohol poisoning or infection is present in such a condition. If this happens to you or your friend, please call an ambulance immediately. I am in no way glorifying self harming or alcohol abuse, or making it seem to be a 'small deal'.  
><em>


	6. Chapter 6

**GOTTA BE YOU**

Summary: Bambi Aerith was an upcoming fashion model and actress working really hard to find her place in the industry. This is until she was advised to meet and befriend the One Direction boys and fell hopeless in love with Harry Styles, the boy who was able to take off her carefully applied mask.

** CHAPTER SIX**

Waking up with a hangover seemed like a habit she was developing and Bambi didn't like it at all. The first thing she noticed when she sat up in her bed was the head ache, the second being the bandages around her left forearm. She looked around in a daze, feeling like a mess, when she saw Harry sitting on the floor at the foot of her bed with her acoustic guitar in his hand. He wasn't a great guitarist and, if anything, was a bit clumsy with his arpeggios but he seemed so focused as he played and hummed.

"Harry," she said, her voice sounding like a tired mumble, "What are you doing here?" Peering at the clock, she realized that it was right into the night and the last thing she remembered was late afternoon.

He turned to see her awake and a smile appeared on his face, "You're awake," he spoke breathlessly. Pulling himself onto the bed, he pulled her into a hug, careful not to hurt her arm although the bleeding should have stopped quite a while ago. He kissed her head and looked her in the eye, "I'm sorry, Bambi."

"No, I should be sorry…"

"You don't have to be. I walked out this morning without even listening to what you had to say, I was an idiot and I'm just an irrational child sometimes. As soon as I came to my senses, I came over here because I wanted to apologize but… I was so worried Bambi!"

She smiled sadly, "You shouldn't have had to see me like this."

"What happened, Bambs?"

She hesitated, unsure about where to start. Looking down she noticed that Harry had helped her dress back into his hoodie from the night before last. She didn't know if he had noticed it, so she pulled the blanket off herself and lifted the hoodie up to show him five jagged scars just underneath her bra, along her side. He reached out to touch it and ran his fingers over it.

"Why?" he asked, looking into her eyes for answers.

Bambi sighed and started, "When I started modeling at twelve, it wasn't because I wanted to be a model. I had always had other dreams – I wanted to act and sing, but for some reason I was always told that I looked more like a model than an actual artist. I never thought so, so I put a lot of pressure on myself to… stay thin. You've seen how upset I get when I lose control, don't pretend like you didn't notice it. It drives me right off the edge. When I was fourteen, I learnt that hurting myself was the only thing I could control. I try not to do it often, even though I want to, because I don't want any of my fans finding out and the make up artists always complain that I don't take good care of myself, but sometimes I stuff up. Last night I stuffed up, not just with the cutting but with you. I had no control, I was drinking because I wanted to get away and then… I don't know, I guess I blacked out."

Harry held her, "I'm sorry, I feel like it's partially my fault. Bambs, I think you're beautiful and yes, I do know how scared you are about certain things, but there is nothing to be scared of in this world – never. And if anything were to threaten you, I, hell me _and_ the boys, will be right there by your side to fight them away. I…" he took a deep breath, "I love you, Bambi, and when you passed out on me I thought I was really going to lose you, I was so scared."

"You didn't call an ambulance though," she pointed out.

"Well, you kind of begged me not to."

"Huh," she said, "I guess I forgot that too, but I'm glad you listened to me. Don't want this to headline right after our kissing photo." She smiled.

"You're acting really casual about this, aren't you? I mean, Bambs, you could've killed yourself."

There was a moment of silence while she thought about it, how to explain her thoughts, before she spoke, "I know. I didn't mean to but I guess I wouldn't care if I did."

"I would," Harry said, "I never want to lose you. Please, if anything ever happens let me help you and, if I'm being a dick, let the boys help you. Anybody. You're a beautiful person, you mean so much to me, I can't bear to see you hurt yourself like that."

She thought about it, "I'll try my best."

"Good," Harry replied, "I'm going to go make you some food."

Bambi's eyes widened immediately, "No, that's fine. I'm really not hungry."

"I noticed how quickly you got drunk last time and, when I looked at the bottle today, you hadn't drunk much of it at all. Not enough to be that wasted anyway, so I looked in your fridge and everything is spotless. It's like you don't use your kitchen at all, except for the cans of diet soda you keep in there."

"I eat out most nights."

"Bambi, I know you are trouble with your body, you've confided in me with that before. Zayn told me that you 'left' the food in the car today and you've never eaten in front of us. I know you're barely eating which is why alcohol can hit you so quickly and with so much effect."

"You're barely legal to drink, you know?"

"And at nineteen, you technically shouldn't be drinking either, but you do it too right?"

Bambi began to get defensive. She loved Harry and she understood that he cared about her, but what she ate or didn't eat was really none of his business, "I eat what I want and when I want."

He wasn't sure what response to give her so he sighed and took her hand, "Bambi, you know that day when you felt terrible about the photo shoot and I told you that you're beautiful?"

She nodded.

"Well, that's never going to change – not to me, not to anybody, because you are defined by a lot more than your body. You are charming and funny, you're smart and you're stronger than most people that I know. You're a role model to thousands of girls out there but they don't look up to you because you're a controlled person physically and mentally – they want to be like you because you make them happy. You can't do that if you're starving yourself, you'll end up sick in hospital, maybe one day lose your life and it doesn't just hurt you, it hurts everybody around you."

Bambi was tearing again so she leaned her head into Harry's lap, trying to not let him see her red face, "I just want to be beautiful, that's all."

"And you are beautiful, just the way you are."

* * *

><p>As Bambi ate the sandwich Harry had prepared for her, taking care to take small bites so she didn't over eat and not fell full, she noticed that some of her clothes had been packed into a few bags, "Why did you pack my stuff away?"<p>

"Well, after what happened I freaked out so I called the boys. I didn't know what to do with the bandage and, since Liam is really into sports and stuff, he talked me through what to do. They were really worried too so we decided that we're going to take you away for the weekend."

"I'm not going to rehab," replied Bambi immediately, "And you're not putting me in a hospital."

Harry smiled, "It's neither of those. I knew that you wouldn't want that so we thought we'd just get you away from the media circus here for a while – to our secret place, so to speak. You'll like it, I promise. Think of it as a happy and fun treatment program, One Direction style."

Bambi laughed awkwardly, completely unsure about the idea. Wanting to change the topic, she pointed at her guitar sitting on the floor, "So you discovered my secret."

"I realized. You never told me that you played the guitar."

"I play a lot of things, it's just that I keep that in my room. Not many people know, after modeling took off, music just had to go into the background for me."

Harry took her hand, "Will you play for me?"

"Not today," she shook her head, smiling, "Not lucky enough yet, Harry. But I couldn't tell what you were playing before."

"It's the new song I told you about," picking up the guitar he added, "Do you want to hear it? I think I finished the last verse."

Bambi smiled widely, "Please."

Plucking the strings clumsily, he smiled as though to apologize. His fingers changed chords awkwardly at first, as though he were trying to remember the chords. When his fingers became more fluent he sang:

_Girl I see it in your eyes you're disappointed_

_Cause I'm the foolish one that you anointed with your heart_

_I tore it apart_

_And girl what a mess I made upon your innocence_

_And no woman in the world deserves this_

_But here I am asking you for one more chance_

_Can we fall, one more time?_

_Stop the tape and rewind_

_Oh and if you walk away I know I'll fade_

_Cause there is nobody else_

_It's gotta be you_

_Only you_

_It's gotta be you_

_Only you_

He looked up at her eyes, putting the guitar down and wringing his wrist slightly, "So, uh, do you like it? I know it's a bit rough and I'm a really bad guitarist but I thought you'd get the idea…"

Bambi laughed, "Harry, I _love_ the song," she kissed him, "And you're right, you are a terrible guitarist."

It was Harry's turn to laugh, "It's not my fault! I never knew how to play it and when I bought one, Niall just wouldn't teach me how."

"Have you tried playing any instrument?"

"Well, when I was in school I played a bit of the keyboards, but not really. I tried to play the drums before, but I was just messing around."

She got out of the bed and took his hand, being careful with her steps, "Come with me, I'll show you something cool."

Bambi walked him down the corridor, slowly but with determination to reach a place Harry didn't know about. As they stood in front of the door at the end, she asked him to close his eyes, "It's not that big of a deal or a huge surprise, but it's something I've never shown anybody and I'm a bit proud of it."

"Okay, Okay," he put his hands over his eyes.

When Bambi opened the door she signaled for him to look. The site before him was absolutely amazing - A completely soundproofed room with dim lighting, and fairy lights dotting the walls. He couldn't stop staring at the white, Pearl drum kit sitting in the corner, the additional electric drum kit, four different sized amplifiers on the floor and, most amazingly, the walls lined with different beautiful guitars and basses. Some of them were limited edition and others signed by musical legends.

He stepped forward to see that the room was even larger than at first glance and also held a grand piano, a keyboard, a small home recording studio and a variation of microphones set up.

When Harry finally got his voice back, he spoke, "This is incredible Bambi. Where did you get all this equipment from?"

"Online, auctions, stores – the places where normal people buy things," she laughed, "After having this entire house bought for me, my ex had made this his room for his things but since he's long gone, I wanted to redo it. I had my father ship over a few things and then just kept adding to it, like a closet musician."

"Niall would faint if he saw this room."

She smiled, "I guess he would, huh? I wish I had more time to play and maybe the opportunity to perform though. I can't now because they want me to focus on modelling, maybe acting, but definitely not music. Apparently my songs are too dark and won't sit well with my market."

"That's a shame," Harry hugged her, "But they would sit well with me."

"I said no, mister," she stuck out her tongue, "Not playing for you."

"It was worth a try."


	7. Chapter 7

**GOTTA BE YOU**

Summary: Bambi Aerith was an upcoming fashion model and actress working really hard to find her place in the industry. This is until she was advised to meet and befriend the One Direction boys and fell hopeless in love with Harry Styles, the boy who was able to take off her carefully applied mask.

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

The next day she woke in Harry's arms, holding her protectively to his body, as though she might have run away in the night (although it was closer to morning when they finally slept). Her phone was buzzing on the bedside table, blinding her in the dim light. The caller ID was unknown and she was, at first, sceptical about whether to pick it up, but decided to anyway.

"Hey, Bambi, is that you?" a familiar voice spoke.

Her face immediately brightened up at her cousin's voice, "Emily!" she whispered loudly, still trying not to wake Harry, "How've you been?"

"Good," she replied, "Except my mum's been trying to call you for the last few days and she won't stop nagging me about it."

Bambi slapped her forehead, "Aunt Cassie, dammit. She called my manager and she told me but I forgot to call back," she carefully removed Harry's arm and stepped out into the kitchen, flinching due to the cold tiles on her feet, "Things have been a little full on over here."

"So I've seen. Good catch there, Bambs," Emily spoke happily, "I think I like Harry the best and I haven't even met him before."

She thought about it, smiling as she remembered his face when he slept, "You know Em... I do too. I really like Harry, he's something special."

"Is it because of his you-know-what?"

Bambi tried to stifle her laughter, but burst into it anyway, "His _you-know-what_? Of course not, and you still call it that, Em? Geez you're sixteen!"

There was a giggle on the other side of the phone, "It's not my fault. All of these interviews and video diaries tell me that it's _huge_."

"You're an idiot," Bambi said with a smile, "Are you going to tell me why you're really calling?"

Emily sighed, "I really didn't want to but you forced it out of me. Mum's been bugging me about the whole modelling thing again. I don't think she's ever going to get over the fact that I'm really not interested at all."

"So she's still not keen on your designing?"

"Nope, she thinks that designers are 'back stage' work and that I should be on the runway. It's stupid because, no offence Bambs, but designers kind of make the show. Plus, I know that I don't look right for it anyway."

Bambi smiled, "Emily, you're beautiful."

"Well, yeah, I guess. Point is, my mum isn't letting it go and she wants me to ask you to take me in for a while. She thinks that if I go and stay with you I'll be.. drawn by your 'glamorous lifestyle' or something."

Bambi considered it, her arm bandaged, a half empty bottle of vodka in the bin and half dressed Harry Styles just waking up in her bedroom. Everything was a mess and she wasn't sure how it would rub off on Emily, who was her best friend as well as cousin and one of the few people she felt comfortable around. However, she knew that Aunt Cassie would never drop the topic and she really did miss Em.

"You know, I do have a spare guest room and you can bring all of your sewing stuff and design boards," she said with a smile.

Excitedly, her cousin thanked her and told her that she would be there within the next week. At that moment, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist. She turned to kiss him, "Morning, handsome," she said, hugging him, "You slept well."

Harry ruffled his hair, "Yeah, I knocked right out."

Bambi smiled, "You sleep cute."

He stuck out his tongue, "I sleep manly." He laughed before asking about the phone call, "Who was it?"

"My cousin from Australia. She's coming to stay for a while in about a week."

Harry put him arm around her before looking mockingly thoughtful, "So is she a hot cousin or a...?"

Bambi hit his arm jokingly, "You're a dick."

At that moment, there was a repeated knocking on the door that sounded more like they were trying to break it down than to politely ask for entrance to her abode.

"Must be the boys. I'm going to shower, okay?" he kissed her lightly on the lips, "They're probably going to want to head off right away. Your bags are in your room. _Don't_ add anything to it!"

Puzzled by his warning but letting him go to the bathroom anyway, Bambi went to open the front door. She was greeted by four worried, but smiling faces. All four were dressed casually with their hair barely styled, their van parked in her drive way.

"Bambi!" exclaimed Louis, jumping to embrace her, "You're okay. We missed you."

"I'm fine," she smiled, realizing that she was wearing an old singlet and her scruffy shorts, "You guys want to come in or am I meant to stand in my driveway dressed like this?"

Zayn winked, "I think you look cute."

* * *

><p>Harry ended up taking a lot longer in the shower than he sound have, so Bambi decided to show the boys her music room. As soon as she opened the door, they gasped and Niall fell to the floor, opting to crawl his way in.<p>

"This is... this is incredible," gushed Niall, gently stroking an acoustic Maton, "I don't believe it."

"Well, you better," said Bambi, "Because I'm more than just a model."

"Can you play for us?" asked Liam.

Just as Bambi was about to refuse, Harry stepped into the room, a towel around his waist, "When I asked last night, I was one boy. Now there's five of us. Please play something?"

Bambi bit her lip, "I'm really no good at all but..."

"I think this collection says otherwise," observed Zayn.

"Okay, okay," Bambi caved, taking a seat at the piano, "I give up but no one else is allowed to hear this song, okay? Swear on it with your life."

Niall laughed, casually picking up a beautifully made acoustic guitar and eying it, "I swear on it with Nandos, now sing!"

Bambi rested her fingers on the keys, remembering the long nights she had spent playing music by herself. As a child she dreamt that people would listen to her music, sing along to it, but when she grew up she only wished that nobody would ever know about it. Her lyrics had always been honest and rendered her completely vulnerable, which was probably why performing scared her so much, but she really did love it.

The chords were soft and familiar, and her sweet voice sang through the silence.

_Shut the door_

_Turn the light off_

_I wanna be with you_

_I wanna feel your love_

_I wanna lay beside you_

_I cannot hide this_

_Even though I try_

_Heart beats harder_

_Time escapes me_

_Trembling hands touch skin_

_It makes this harder_

_And the tears stream down my face_

_If we could only have this life for one more day_

_If we could only turn back time_

_[Chorus]_

_You know I'll be your life_

_Your voice_

_Your reason to be_

_My love, my heart_

_Is breathing for this_

_Moment in time_

_I'll find the words to say_

_Before you leave me today_

_Close the door_

_Throw the key_

_Don't wanna be reminded_

_Don't wanna be seen_

_Don't wanna be without you_

_My judgement's clouded_

_Like tonights night sky_

_And a silent_

_Voice is numb_

_Trying to scream out my lungs_

_It makes this harder_

_And the tears stream down my face_

_If we could only have this life for one more day_

_If we could only turn back time_

_[Chorus]_

_You know I'll be your life_

_Your voice_

_Your reason to be_

_My love, my heart_

_Is breathing for this_

_Moment in time_

_I'll find the words to say_

_Before you leave me today_

_Flashing lights in my mind_

_Goin' back to the time_

_Playin' games in the street_

_Kickin' balls with my feet_

_There's a numb in my toes_

_Standing close to the edge_

_There's a pile of my clothes_

_At the end of your bed_

_As I feel myself fall,_

_Make a joke of it all_

_[Chorus]_

_You know I'll be_

_Your life, your voice your reason to be_

_My love, my heart_

_Is breathing for this_

_Moment in time_

_I'll find the words to say_

_Before you leave me today_

_You know I'll be_

_Your life, your voice your reason to be_

_My love, my heart_

_Is breathing for this_

_Moment in time_

_I'll find the words to say_

_Before you leave me today_

As she played the last chord and her voice faded into the silence, Bambi took a deep breath and looked around. Harry was watching her quietly, completely forgetting that he wasn't dressed. The other boys stared at their feet, fighting back tears and realizing the significance between the song and the battle that they discovered she had fought. Niall was the first to speak:

"Why isn't anybody else allowed to hear the song?"

Bambi smiled, "Because it's a part of me. It's something that I wrote because I couldn't find another way to describe my experience, it's intimate and it's scary. I'd rather people not know that side of me."

Harry stood and gave her a hug, "Well, I think it's beautiful and a shame that others can't hear it, but as long as you're comfortable, then that's what matters to me."

"So if I say I wanted you to put on pants, would you do it?" said Bambi, trying to break the tension, "Because, you know, that might make me uncomfortable."

Harry stuck out his tongue, "Oh please. It's liberating!" He walked out of the room, wiggling his backside behind him, "Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle," he sang.

The other boys decided to leave the room as well, smiling and laughing again, to wait for Harry in the living room. Nobody would tell her where they were going, but she was told that her manager had been notified. Bambi continued to sit in front of the piano, telling the boys that she would be behind them.

She played a simple melody, something that she had known since she was young. She loved music so much and she had so many dreams that had turned into fears. Remembering her childhood, she knew that she had only taken up modelling because she had hoped it would open her up to other industries. She wanted to be a singer and an actor, but time and time again she was told that she wasn't right for the part.

Bambi had been a tall girl with prominent facial features (although to her, she appeared plain), legs worthy of her namesake Bambi the Deer and, because of her disordered eating, she was slender enough for both high fashion and commercial work. Due to her appearance, people had found her aspiring, complimenting her on her fashion sense and figure. There wasn't much work for her in her small hometown in Australia, but once she signed with Angela, she had been taken overseas and her fame rose speedily. Soon, she had moved to the United Kingdom and found her place in society, but she had always felt different.

"So can you tell me what happened, Bambs?" a voice spoke behind her.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Bambi turned around to see that Louis was still standing in the room, watching her with both curiosity and concern, "What do you mean?"

He sighed, taking a seat on the couch next to the upright piano, "You were upset yesterday morning – no, you were beyond upset. Even before Harry called us, I knew something was wrong. I'd never seen a person shiver and cry like that."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, almost out of habit.

"No," he said, suddenly reaching over to hold her, "It's my fault. I mean, I saw that you were beyond just distraught. I should have done more than just ask Zayn to drop you off at home. I should have asked him to stayed with you. Hell, I should have come along and done it myself. If I hadn't been so stupid, maybe none of that would have happened."

Bambi shook her head, "It's not true, Louis. I mean… I've had problems like… 'that' since I was pretty young. I've had a lot of problems for years and it's nobody's fault but mine. I get scared and it messes with my head."

"Just, I know Harry's already said this, but if it ever happens again, please let me help you. I don't want you to suffer like that," he looked her in the eye, "You're Harry's girlfriend but I care about you too."

Bambi smiled, "Thanks, Louis. You know, you really remind me of someone."

"Who?" he asked, just as Harry appeared in the doorway.

His hair was curly and messy as usual, but he had swapped his towel for a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a Ramones shirt. He smiled, "Ready to go?"

"Sure thing," said Louis, standing up and walking out as though he and Bambi had simply been talking about the colour of her ivory piano keys.

Bambi hugged Harry, "So, you going to tell me where we're going?"

"You'll see," he replied, "But I've packed and you're not allowed to bring anything else."

"Not allowed?"

He nodded, "Yep. I didn't pack any of your fancy clothes or shoes, not even those tubes of make up that I don't understand."

Bambi paused, "Clothes and shoes I understand, but no make up? Are you seriously taking me to a treatment centre?"

Harry laughed, "No, Bambs! Come on," he kissed her forehead, "Let's go." They locked her front door and packed into the retro van, seeing that Niall was sitting on a seat behind his favourite guitar.

"Welcome to a very One Direction weekend!" he exclaimed, hitting a G chord.


End file.
